Keeping Bark on a slab

Maybe put the table in an inacccessible place? Sorry, but I think you've got a difficult goal here. Maybe multiple sprays of a clear laquer or poly or shellac, but again, sorry, it seems a tough row to hoe. You may have to accept the inevitable. You'll have bark on the carpet. Tom

Take a tip from the turners and soak it with CA glue... turners often do that with natural edge bowls to keep the bark on.

John

True. But if it is an end table, he would need about $ 1K of CA to get it stable!

There is a natural edged furniture guy I used to see from time to time, and he thinned out poly and put it into something that looked like a bread pan and rotated the barked area through the poly so it was heavily soaked when he was doing disks (rounds).

For long ovals (small bar tops and coffee tables cut on a really acute angle to teh grain) he slathered on the thinned poly with a large brush till it dripped off, then let it dry 3 - 4 days. Anything that fell off, he simply glued back on.

Worked for him.

YMMV.

Robert

True. But if it is an end table, he would need about $ 1K of CA to get it stable!

There is a natural edged furniture guy I used to see from time to time, and he thinned out poly and put it into something that looked like a bread pan and rotated the barked area through the poly so it was heavily soaked when he was doing disks (rounds).

For long ovals (small bar tops and coffee tables cut on a really acute angle to teh grain) he slathered on the thinned poly with a large brush till it dripped off, then let it dry 3 - 4 days. Anything that fell off, he simply glued back on.

Worked for him.

YMMV.

Robert

True. But if it is an end table, he would need about $ 1K of CA to get it stable!

There is a natural edged furniture guy I used to see from time to time, and he thinned out poly and put it into something that looked like a bread pan and rotated the barked area through the poly so it was heavily soaked when he was doing disks (rounds).

For long ovals (small bar tops and coffee tables cut on a really acute angle to teh grain) he slathered on the thinned poly with a large brush till it dripped off, then let it dry 3 - 4 days. Anything that fell off, he simply glued back on.

Some of the turners I know use CA extensively and buy it in large containers... Apparently they find it cost effective because the majority of the ones I know are cheap cheap cheap... you can hear their wallets squeak if they have to PAY for wood. Free Wood.... Free Wood.... Free Wood.... is their mantra! LOL

John

RE: Subject

I must admit my lack of knowledge on the subject; however, I have a question?

If the goal is to keep the bark FIRMLY attached in the final piece, why not lift the bark, coat the surfaces with epoxy, then reattach and allow epoxy to cure?

Am I missing something?

Lew

Thanks for the multiple ideas. I may try a mix of them. In some places the bark is still well attached and in others it has pulled away by at least 1/2 inch. In areas where it is well attached I may try CA and for other areas use Epoxy. I would prefer to not actually remove the bark for the concern of getting it back in perfect alignment so that it looks right.

I am located in Upsate South Carolina so I may also be able to get some tips from nearby folks who make rustic furniture, all I have to do is find them.

In the mean time if there are other ideas please reply.

Russ,

I haven't tried this exactly, but I've used the Minwax wood hardener on a carving and the results were similar to a soaking of CA glue. It leaves the wood with a consistancy that I would compare to a hard plastic. I would try this after gluing the loose pieces . A pint or two of the wood hardener would be considerably cheaper than the glue Afterwards, coat with you favorite finish.

HTH Bill

Take it off, clean it up, stick it back on.

Most bark has some degree of beetle damage underneath it, chewing on that tasty layer of cambium (obviously dependent on species of both tree and local fauna). Bark that's already mostly severed isn't going to stay attached, let alone if the larvae in there are still active.

Russ,

I made some outdoor solar lamp holders from pine log sections, and wanted to keep the bark on. I used 30 min epoxy, thinned a bunch with alcohol, maybe 50-50. I dripped it down the joint between bark and wood, a lot, and from both ends. Really soaked it. It's been out all winter, and thru the rain, and looks as good as new.

Hope this helps.....